Series Commended

I would like to commend you on your fine series of articles regarding obesity and the various programs designed to address this problem.

However, I would like to respond to your statement that Overeaters Anonymous, sanctions either three meals a day or refraining from sugar and flour as official definitions of abstinence.

OA neither endorses nor opposes any particular plan of eating. When one chooses to work the 12 steps of recovery as outlined by Alcoholics Anonymous, the need to compulsively overeat, undereat or binge and vomit in response to life situations will diminish and often leave entirely. One develops enough self-honesty to define what abstaining from compulsive eating means to them.

Thank you for clarifying this to your readers, and thank you again for bringing attention to the emotional aspects of a serious health problem in this country.

As a member of this anonymous program, I would appreciate my last name not being used.

KELLY L.

San Diego